Petrus
Petrus

Petrus

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Petrus is the most emblematic wine of the Pomerol appellation, on the Right Bank of Bordeaux, and one of the absolute references among the great French wines. Produced from a confidential vineyard situated on the clay plateau of Pomerol, the estate stands out for the singularity of its iron-rich clay terroir and for an exceptional interpretation of Merlot, the near-exclusive grape variety of the blend.

In the absence of an official classification in Pomerol, Petrus has built its reputation solely on the consistency of its quality, the depth of its wines and their remarkable capacity for ageing.

Its great vintages punctuate the modern history of Pomerol. The 1961 wine ranks among the post-war summits, followed by the 1982 vintage, which opened the series of exceptional years carried by a fully ripe Merlot, before more recent great successes such as the 2000 vintage and 2016 brought the estate to the very top. More approachable today, the Petrus 2017 illustrates the estate's consistent quality.

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Petrus, our blog article

Petrus, our blog article
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Vines of the Pomerol appellation

Pomerol Appellation
The highest-rated wines from Bordeaux

The highest-rated wines from Bordeaux
Vintage Guide - SoDivin

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History and identity of Petrus, great wine of Pomerol

On the Pomerol plateau, Petrus built its reputation without the aristocratic aura of the great châteaux of the Médoc, but with a commitment to quality asserted very early on. In the hands of the Arnaud family since the 18th century, the estate long remained a little-known wine before gaining international recognition during the 20th century, driven by the consistency of its style and the singularity of its terroir.

This rise owes much to Madame Edmond Loubat, a central figure in the estate's history. She gradually bought back Petrus from the Arnaud family from the 1920s onwards and became its sole owner at the end of the Second World War. Passionate and a skilled communicator, she brought the wine to the finest tables and notably arranged for bottles to be sent to Buckingham Palace for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 — an episode that helped make Petrus known well beyond the borders of France.

The modern identity of the estate was subsequently shaped by the Moueix family, who first handled its distribution and then its ownership. Petrus made the deliberate choice to produce only a single wine, with no second wine or diversification: a rare distinction in Bordeaux that reinforces the coherence and clarity of its project. Production moreover remains limited to a few thousand bottles per year, which sustains its rarity and the interest of enthusiasts throughout the world.

Terroir and viticultural environment of Petrus on the Pomerol plateau

The Petrus vineyard extends over just over eleven hectares, at the highest point of the Pomerol plateau. The soil consists of heavy, deep clay, rich in iron oxides, resting on a subsoil capable of retaining water and releasing it slowly to the vine, even during the driest summers. This natural regulation promotes slow and complete ripening of the Merlot and yields wines of uncommon density and depth.

The absence of the gravelly soils that characterise the Médoc clearly distinguishes Petrus from other great Bordeaux wines and explains its expression, centred on texture, depth and length on the palate rather than sheer power alone. The Pomerol appellation, one of the smallest among the great terroirs of the Right Bank, has no official classification: each estate has made its name solely through the quality of its wines, and Petrus is the most outstanding example of this.

Production philosophy and style of Petrus wines

The blend relies almost exclusively on Merlot, complemented by a share of Cabernet Franc that has become marginal, or even absent depending on the vintage. Yields are deliberately low and selection in the vineyard is particularly rigorous: each plot is harvested at perfect ripeness, with constant attention to the balance between richness, freshness and precision of fruit.

Winemaking is conducted with precision, without seeking excessive extraction. Ageing in barrels, partly new, accompanies the wine without ever masking the expression of the fruit or the terroir. The result is an easily recognisable style: a velvety texture, remarkable concentration and an aromatic register that evolves from ripe black fruits towards notes of truffle, cocoa and spices over time. At the table, a mature Petrus pairs beautifully with delicate meats, feathered game or truffled dishes, served at around seventeen degrees and decanted to allow it to open up.

Ageing potential and vintage recognition of Petrus

Petrus wines rank among the greatest long-ageing wines in the world. In great vintages, such as the 2010, they evolve harmoniously over several decades and often reach their peak after twenty to thirty years, sometimes more. Their ageing reveals remarkable aromatic complexity, underpinned by a powerful yet perfectly integrated structure. For younger vintages, extended cellaring remains preferable in order to reveal their full dimension.

International critical recognition has accompanied the estate for decades: it underlines the singularity of Petrus among the great wines of Bordeaux and its ability to feature at the very highest level outside any official classification. This consistency, vintage after vintage, explains the place the estate occupies in the finest cellars in the world.

Petrus within the Pomerol appellation

Within Pomerol, Petrus occupies a unique position, whilst forming part of an exceptional environment. It stands alongside other emblematic estates of the appellation: Le Pin, renowned for its exclusive character, Lafleur, appreciated for its rigour and longevity, Latour à Pomerol, and Vieux Château Certan, reputed for its balance and finesse. Through its clay terroir and inimitable style, Petrus contributes fully to the worldwide renown of Pomerol, a land of Merlot expression at the very highest level.

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